Chapter 80: A Wave of Injuries, Wang Chong’s Opportunity and Temporary Mission!
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Wang Chong himself did not expect to perform so poorly when facing Garnett in his prime.
Fortunately, there is only one player like Garnett in the league—one whose static talent matches his own while boasting dynamic talent that is significantly superior.
Wang Chong estimated that even if he could reach Durant's peak level, playing against Garnett would still be very challenging. The analysis by those basketball experts seemed reasonable: Garnett's technical characteristics indeed counter Durant's style.
However, when a player reaches the level of a top superstar, no matter what kind of defense they face, it's impossible to be completely shut down.
When peak Garnett meets peak Durant and both give their all, Durant could still score more than 30 points in front of Garnett.
But at this stage, it is natural for Wang Chong, whose overall ability rating is only 84, to be beaten when matched up against Garnett at his peak.
The 2003-04 season was when Garnett won the only regular season MVP of his career.
This season, he averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game in the regular season, showcasing dominant performances on both offense and defense. He led the Timberwolves to beat the F4 Lakers and the GDP Spurs to win the first place in the Western Conference in the regular season and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals in the playoffs before losing to the Lakers.
Garnett during this period was at the peak of his career. Converted into his ability value in NBA 2K, his overall rating would be at least 97, if not higher.
Without O'Neal and Malone, the Lakers certainly had no chance against the Timberwolves led by Garnett.
The loss to the Timberwolves was followed by another away loss to the Denver Nuggets the next day.
In this game, three Lakers players scored more than 20 points: Kobe had 27 points, Payton 21 points, and Wang Chong 24 points.
But unfortunately, apart from these three, no one else on the Lakers scored in double digits. On the other hand, three players on the Nuggets also scored in double digits. Anthony and Andre Miller both scored 20 points, while 5'5" guard Earl Boykins, who came off the bench, scored 22 points with a high shooting percentage of 69.2% on 9 of 13 shots. Two other Nuggets players also scored in double digits, contributing to the team's 113-104 victory.
The Lakers suffered two consecutive losses for the first time since the new season, but there was little they could do, as both O'Neal and Malone were injured, leaving the Lakers' lineup severely weakened.
Fortunately, after two consecutive losses, the Lakers quickly adjusted their form and ended the losing streak at home, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 113-67.
It was a 46-point blowout, and the entire game was exhilarating.
Wang Chong made 13 of 21 shots and scored 28 points, achieving a shooting percentage close to 62%. Together with Kobe, who scored 26 points, they combined for a total of 54 points.
However, when it rains, it pours.
The Lakers, who had just ended their losing streak, then faced the Cleveland Cavaliers at home.
This was the second and final regular season meeting between the Lakers and the Cavaliers this season.
Even without O'Neal and Malone, the Lakers were still slightly stronger overall than the Cavaliers. In the first half of the game, with the cooperation of the three remaining starters—Kobe, Wang Chong, and Payton—the Lakers easily suppressed the Cavaliers and led 45-38 at the half.
The Cavaliers' offensive efficiency was extremely poor in the first half. James made 3 of 8 shots, scoring only 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Victory seemed imminent for the Lakers.
But in the second half, after a dribble and layup attempt, Kobe landed awkwardly, fell to the floor, and couldn't get up.
"Not good!"
When Phil Jackson saw this scene from the sidelines, his heart skipped a beat, sensing that something terrible had happened!
Injuries can be mysterious, occurring at any moment, and multiple players on a team might get injured in a short time frame.
The problem was that the Lakers were already missing O'Neal and Malone. If Kobe got injured too, they would have no one left!
The game was paused. After taking a moment to calm down, Kobe slowly stood up, but he was clearly struggling. He limped back to the locker room with the help of his teammates.
The Lakers' home crowd fell into a stunned silence.
Is the injury curse striking Los Angeles?
How can they continue with O'Neal, Kobe, and Malone all injured one after another?
Wang Chong, however, wasn't too surprised.
Although he couldn't recall the specific details of the Lakers' 2003-04 season, he knew the general scenario.
Throughout the regular season, O'Neal played 67 games, Kobe played 65, Malone played 42, and among the F4 members, only Gary Payton maintained a full attendance of 82 games.
This was one of the reasons why, despite having such a luxurious lineup, the Lakers only managed a record of 56 wins and 26 losses in the regular season—fewer wins than the Pacers, Timberwolves, and Spurs.
Knowing this, Wang Chong wasn't shocked by the injuries of his teammates. Instead, he saw it as an opportunity—a chance to showcase himself.
If there are no surprises, Kobe will need about a month of recovery, returning in mid-February. O'Neal would return by the end of January.
As for Malone... Malone wouldn't be available until the playoffs.
During this period, Wang Chong would become the team's primary offensive option, with plenty of ball-handling and shooting opportunities.
Just as he was contemplating this, the system's voice suddenly echoed in his consciousness.
"Ding—temporary mission activated!"
A mission?
Wang Chong was momentarily taken aback, feeling somewhat dumbfounded.
Hadn't the system already issued a task? Why was there another one?
However, upon calming down and thinking it over, he realized this was slightly different from previous tasks. This was a temporary task, issued because of the Lakers' recent injury crisis, distinct from the usual tasks.
"Mission goal: Lead the team to win this game and secure at least 4 victories in the next 6 games without the OK combination."
"Complete the mission to receive 1,000 points as a reward!"
Wang Chong's eyes suddenly lit up!
1,000 points!
This reward is on par with the Rookie Challenge MVP, although it lacks the badge reward. Its value was enough to make Wang Chong excited.
Of course, a generous reward often means high difficulty.
Winning the current game isn't too difficult. Though Kobe won't return in the second half, the Lakers already have a near double-digit lead. With James playing poorly, the win seems within reach.
But winning at least four out of the next six games won't be so easy!
The Lakers' next six opponents are the Nuggets, Kings, Clippers, Suns, Grizzlies, and Mavericks.
Among these teams, the Nuggets, Kings, Grizzlies, and Mavericks were all playoff teams in the 2003-04 season. The Kings, Grizzlies, and Mavericks each won over 50 games in the regular season, underscoring their strength.
If the Lakers were fully healthy, beating these teams might not be difficult. But with three out of five starters injured, leaving only Wang Chong and Payton available, winning at least four out of six games will undoubtedly be a tough challenge.
End of this chapter
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